Container package



March 25, 1 969 N. H. MOORE ET AL CONTAINER PACKAGE Filed Aug. 29, 1967 m n R mm M p9 w mww m w a e M UH n ma b m O .0 BwN United States Patent 3,434,592 CONTAINER PACKAGE Norman H. Moore, Palo Alto, Calif., and Ougljesa Juies Poupitch, Itasca, Ill.; said Moore assignor to Fibreboard Corporation, a corporation of Delaware, and said Poupiteh assignor to Illinois Tool Works Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 29, 1967, Ser. No. 664,119 Int. Cl. 365d 71/00 US. Cl. 206-45 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container package for holding a plurality of containers together as a group including a wrap around band and clip means operating in conjunction with one another to retain the containers together as a unit for carrying purposes.

Commercial multipackaging of containers, such as beverage cans or the like, in the conventional six can grouping, for example, ha been generally accomplished through the use of paperboard blanks having various types of integral locking tabs or slots, plastic sheet carrier devices of the type disclosed in US. Patents Nos. 2,874,835 and 3,199,908, or by utilizing various types of injection molded container clip devices, an example of which is shown in US. Patent No. 3,265,203. All of the above mentioned types of carrier devices have certain advantages which have made them commercially attractive. For example, paperboard carriers provide a very desirable billboard effect for the printing of advertising information thereon,

plastic sheet carrier devices are relatively inexpensive in 0 comparison to paperboard carrier devices and are easy to assemble and remove from containers, and plastic container clip devices provide a very simple and effective means of holding a cluster of containers together without involving too great an expense. The present invention relates to a combination paperboard, plastic container clip multipack which has many of the advantages and virtues of both the paperboard and plastic clip carriers and also, by reason of the combination, creates some additional advantages of its own as will be apparent by the discussion that is to follow.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a combination wrap around or endless band and plastic container clip carrier device for holding and retaining a plurality of containers together as a unit for carrying purposes.

It is a further object to provide a container package of the aforementioned type which provides one or more of the following objects:

Creates a very desirable billboard effect for each con: tainer package and when a plurality of such container packages are stacked on a shelf, forms a very tight cluster of containers and thus a stable, easy carrying package, prevents relative disassociating movement of containers in a very desirable fashion, permits various diameter containers to be used with the same wrap around or endless band and plastic clip combination, provides a covered top for the containers, is easy to assemble to and remove from the containers or the containers from it, is relatively inexpensive, and is otherwise well adapted for the purposes intended.

These and other objects and advantages, which are inherent from the structure of the wrap around or endless band and plastic container clip structure, are obtained by a container package comprising at least two pairs of containers each having a peripheral enlargement adjacent one end thereof and being arranged into two adjacent rows with the axes of said containers in substantially parallel relationship and with the peripheral enlargements of each pair of containers in substantially abutting position relative to one another and to said other pair of containers, a wrap around band encircling said containers in close fitting relationship with its axis generally perpendicular to the axes of said containers, and one piece clip means which is connected to the wrap around band and which traverses the space intermediate adjacent rows of containers, the clip means including means for engaging the peripheral enlargements of adjacent rows of containers and urging said enlargements into abutment with one another to prevent lateral movement of the containers in a direction generally aligned with the axis of said wrap around band. In other forms of the invention, at least six containers closely assembled in a tight cluster are provided, and the wrap around band is designed to engage the sides of the two outermost rows of containers to provide a billboard effect, and in other forms of the invention, the wrap around band may have its axis either parallel or perpendicular to the axes of said containers, and the clip means is provided with means which takes up the dimensional slack in the wrap around band.

Reference is now made to the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a container package constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevational view, partly in section, as viewed along 22 of FIG. 3, and illustrating the manner in which the endless band and the containers are related with respect to one another;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view, which is viewed along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2, and depicting the manner in which the wrap around or endless band and the plastic clip container devices operate, in conjunction wit-h one another to hold and retain a plurality of containers together as a unit;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view, as viewed along lines 44 of FIG. 2, illustrating the manner in which one form of clip device engages the sides of the.

containers;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the preferred form of clip device utilized in the container package;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the plastic clip device shown in FIG. 5, and partially in section along various portions thereof; and

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of a modified form of clip device which may be used in the container package of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the present invention relates to a container package or unit 10 which include a plurality of containers 12, here illustrated as being six in number, having cylindrical sides 14 which are joined, at least at a top 16 by conventional rim curling techniques to provide peripheral enlargements or chimes 18 at the upper ends thereof. It will be appreciated, however, that each of the containers may have a separate bottom (not shown) which is also joined to the lower ends of the cylindrical sides 14 in the same fashion to provide similar peripheral enlargements or chimes.

The container package 19 further includes a warp around or endless band 20 and a plurality of clip devices 22 which operate in conjunction with one another to hold and retain the containers 12 in the manner illustrated for carrying purposes. In the form illustrated in the drawing, the wrap around or endless band 20 comprises a onepiece, die cut blank which has a glued or fastened seam in one area thereof. The wrap around or endless band 20 includes a cover panel 21 which may be of sufficient size to cover all or a substantial part of the container tops 16, a pair of generally opposed side panels 24, 24 which extend downwardly from the top' panel 21 at opposite ends J of the package, and a bottom panel (not shown) upon which at least a part of the container bottoms rest. The wrap around or endless band also includes a pair of finger hole apertures 26 which are located in the top panel for alignment with the apertured portions of the plastic clip devices 22 as will become apparent.

As best depicted in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the wrap around or endless band 20 encircles the containers 12 in close fitting relationship with its axes generally perpendicular to the axes of the containers 12. However, as shown by the dotted or phantom lines in FIG. 1, the wrap around or endless band which is identified 28 may have its axis generally parallel with the axes of the containers 12, and the difference in function and operation of the endless band 20 and 28 will be made apparent from the ensuing discussion.

Considering first the form of invention utilizing the wrap around or endless band 20, it is important that plastic clip devices 22 utilized in connection therewith function to prevent lateral movement of the containers 12 away from the endless band in a direction generally aligned with its axis. Further, it is important that the plastic clip devices function to retain a plurality of adjacent rows of containers, and in this regard, the plastic clip 22 is designed to be positioned in the space which is intermediate adjacent rows of container pairs. In this way, a single clip device 22 can be used for a group of four containers, two clip devices 22 can be used with six containers, etc.

While many different types and forms of plastic clip devices 22 may be used in conjunction with the wrap around or endless band 20, it is important that at least certain basic elements be provided in such plastic clip devices, and two illustrative and different forms of clip devices are shown in FIGS. 3-6 and FIG. 7 for an understanding of the type of clip devices to which the present invention is directed. The clip devices ShOWn in FIGS. 36 and FIG. 7 will be identified as 22a and 2211 respectively with the similar parts in the two different embodimnets identified by the same number distinguished by the suffixes a and b.

The clip 22a illustrated in FIGS. 36 is preferably a onepiece injection molded plastic clip, as is clip 22b, although it is conceivable that each of these clips may be formed from a resilient sheet metal. The clip 22a includes a generally centrally located elliptically shaped ring-like portion a which is designed to serve as the finger hole engaging means of the clip. The clip 22a is positioned relative to adjacent rows of container pairs such that the elliptical portion 30a thereof lies entirely within the space intermediate the containers 12. Finger hole engaging portion 30a is also aligned with one of the finger hole apertures of the wrap around or endless band 20, and preferably a portion of the wrap around or endless band immediately surrounding the finger hole apertures is displaced downwardly within the finger hole engaging portion 30a of the clip 22a to provide a connection between the wrap around or endless band 20 and the clip 22w. It will be understood that other types of fastening or connection means may be employed in attaching or otherwise connecting the wrap around or endless band 20 to the clip devices 22a.

Each clip 22a is adapted to be applied to adjacent rows of container pairs as is illustrated in FIGS. 3-4 of the drawing so that the finger hole engaging portion 301: lies entirely within the space intermediate the adjacent rows of container pairs and enabling other elements or means of the clip devices 22a to function to hold and retain the containers in the manner now to be described. Each clip 22a has projecting from opposite sides thereof a pair of containers in the manner now to be described. Each clip tion hold adjacent containers in adjacent rows together. Specifically, each of the container engaging and locking means or elements 32a is provided with arcuate flanges 34a, 34a and 36a, 36a on opposite sides thereof which depend from the container engaging and locking means 32a, and which are adapted to extend along and provide broad arcuate surface contact the inner surfaces of the peripheral enlargements or chimes 18. Each of the arcuate flanges 34a, 34a and 36a, 36a have a height substantially equal to the height of the peripheral enlargements or chimes so that their lowermost or free marginal portions will substantially abut the top 16 of the container.

Each of the container engaging and locking means 32a also includes a pair of angularly offset, flexible arm elements 38a, 38a and 40a, 40a which are respectively associated with the arcuate flanges 34a, 34a and 36a, 360. As best seen in FIG. 6 of the drawing, the lower margins of the'arcuate flanges 34a, 34a and 36a, 36a extend axially downwardly beyond the upper margin of the flexible arm element 38a, 38a and 40a, 46a respectively to provide narrow throats through which the peripheral enlargements or chimes 18 of the container 12 cannot pass until the cooperating margins of the arcuate flanges and the flexible arm elements have been spread apart. This will be accomplished when each clip 22a is applied to adjacent rows of container pairs such that the arcuate flanges 34a, 34a and/or the flexible arm elements 38a, 38a on one side of the clip and the arcuate flanges 36a, 36a and/or the flexible arm elements 40a, 40a on the other side of the clip will be forced apart as each clip 22a is applied to the peripheral enlargements or chimes 18 of the containers 12. Thus, the flexible arm elements 38a, 38a and 40a, 40a will engage beneath the peripheral enlargements or chimes 18 of the containers 12 and also contact the sides 14 thereof.

It will also be apparent, in comparing the clip 22a in FIG. 5 prior to application to the containers as illustrated in the FIGS. 34 that the flexible arm 38a, 38a and 40, 40a are capable of being compressed and moved toward the elliptically shaped portion 30a by the container side 14. This is an important feature in connection with one form of the invention in that the flexible arm elements 39a, 39a and 40a, 40a on each of the container engaging and locking elements 32a will function to take up any dimensional slack in the wrap around or endless band 20. Thus, it will be apparent that the inherent resiliency of the flexible arm elements 38a, 38a and 48a, 48a, will urge adjacent containers in adjacent rows against the wrap around or endless band means to provide a tight cluster of containers which prevents disassociation of the containers 12 relative to the wrap around or endless band 20 and the plastic clips 22a to facilitate carrying thereof.

The clip devices 22a may be used either with the wrap around on endless band 20 or the endless band 28, it

being understood that the flexible arm elements 38a, 38a and 40a, 40a find great usefulness in taking up the dimensional slack of endless band means to provide a tight cluster of containers.

The clip device 221) may be utilized with certain forms of the invention. This device, although being generally similar in shape and function to the clip device 22a, does not include any flexible arm elements, and instead has a rigid shoulder element 42 for association with the depending arcuate flanges 34b, 34b and a rigid shoulder element 44 for the depending arcuate flanges 36b, 36b. Preferably, the clip 22b still provides the snap lock concept in the sense that the arcuate flanges 34b, 34b cooperate with the shoulder element 42 on one side of the clip and the arcuate flanges 36b, 36b cooperate with the rigid shoulder element 44 on the other side of the clip to provide restricted throat areas such that the inner surface and lower margin of the peripheral enlargements of chimes 18 of the containers are continuously engaged.

The clip devices 22b may thus be used with either form of wrap around or endless band means 20 or 28, and these clip devices will function generally after the fashion of the clip devices 22a, the exception being in the flexible arm elements which take up the dimensional slack of the wrap around or endless band means.

The wrap around or endless band 20, when used with a group of six containers arranged in three rows of two containers each provides a very desirable billboard effect at opposite ends of the package. Specifically, the side panels 24, 24 of the wrap around or endless band 20 are designed to engage each of the containers in the two outside rows of the containers. This will present a very desirable billboard effect for each container package and also when a group of such container packages are arranged or stacked on shelves with either of the side panels 24 facing the consumer. When using the wrap around or endless band 20, the clip devices 22 are preferably connected to the wrap around or endless band by displacing material surrounding the margins of the finger hole apertures downwardly within the finger engaging portions of the clips or by some other suitable fastening or attachment means. Also, the clip means 22 must include means for engaging the peripheral enlargements of adjacent rows of containers by its positionment or location substantially within the area traversing the space between adjacent rows of containers, such being operative to urge the peripheral enlargements of adjacent containers into abutment with one another to prevent lateral movement of containers in a direction generally aligned with the axis of the wrap around or endless band 20. Each of the clip devices 22a and 22b meet these criteria, and it will be apparent that there are other types of clip devices which can also function to perform the requirements set forth above.

In those cases where it is desired to provide a tight cluster of containers by taking up a dimensional slack in either the wrap around or endless band 20 or 28, the clip means 22 should obviously include means for urging the containers against the wrap around or endless band so as to take up any dimensional slack thereof.

From the foregoing, it will now be appreciated that the present invention has provided a container package in cluding the combination of a Wrap around or endless band and container clip devices which because of variations in shape, location and elements related thereto, function to provide a number of different container package embodiments. While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many structure details may be changed.

We claim:

1. A container package comprising at least two pairs of containers each having a peripheral enlargement adjacent one end thereof and being arranged into two adjacent rows with the axes of said containers in substantially parallel relationship and with the peripheral enlargements of each pair of containers in substantially abutting positions relative to one aonther and to said other pair of containers, a wrap around band encircling said containers in close fitting relationship with its axis generally perpendicular to the axes of said containers, and one-piece plastic clip means connected to said wrap around band and traversing the space intermediate adjacent rows of containers, said clip means including means for engaging the adjacent peripheral enlargements of containers in adjacent rows and urging said peripheral enlargements into aboutment with one another to prevent lateral movement of said containers in a direction generally aligned with the axis of said wrap around band, said clip means further including means for urging said containers against said wrap around band to take up any dimensional slack thereof.

2. The container package as defined in claim 1 which comprises at least three pairs of containers arranged in three substantially parallel rows, said package also including two one piece clip means each being positioned for engaging two pairs of containers in adjacent rows.

3. The container package as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said clip means includes finger hole engaging means which are aligned with finger hole apertures in said wrap around band for carrying said container package.

4. The container package as defined in claim 3 wherein the material surrounding the finger hole aperture in said wrap around band is displaced downwardly within the finger hole engaging means of said. clip means.

5. The continer package as defined in claim 2 wherein said wrap around band includes side panels engaging each of the containers in the two outside rows of containers in the package.

6. The container package as defined in claim 2 wherein said wrap around band includes a top panel substantially covering the tops of said containers.

7. The container package as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for urging said containers against said wrap around band comprises flexible arm means positioned below the peripheral enlargements of said containers and engaging the sides there-of.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,118,537 1/1964 Copping. 3,202,447 8/ 1965 Whaley et a1. 3,233,730 2/1966 Winters et 9.1. 3,245,196 4/1966 De Shazo et al. 3,302,832 2/1967 Lyon. 3,370,700 2/ 1968 De Shazor.

MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner. 

